Combined valve and chuck



April 7, 1959 A. KURT INVENTOR.

ANTON KURT ATTORNEY United- States Patent COMBINED VALVE AND CHUCK AntonKurt, Red Bank, NJ., assignor to Bendix Aviation -Corporation,Eatontown, NJ.,' a corporation of Delaware I Application May 26, 1955,Serial No. 511,269

2 Claims. (Cl. 251-149 The present invention relates to a combined valveand chuck for'use' on exhaust machines. p

In the production of electron tubes, it is necessary that theybe'evacuated of air, whether theywill be vacuum or gas filled. Heretofore,a number of tubes have been positioned on a manifold connected toanexhaust system. In changing the tubes, the vacuum manifold is opened toatmospheric contamination. Further, in the event of a leak or a faultytip-off in one of the tubes, the remainder of the tubes on the manifoldare lost due to poisoning of the cathode by atmosphere.

The present invention provides a novel valve for use with an exhaustmachine where, at no time, is the vacuum manifold open to atmosphere.Further, a leak or faulty tip ofi' will not affect the other tubes onthe line.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination valve andchuck.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forexhausting tubes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved valve for avacuum manifold.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appearmore fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein one embodimentof the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawing, the single figure of the drawing is a sectional view ofa valve illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Reference is now made to the drawing wherein a valve is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 1 and is adapted for use on a vacuum manifold(not shown). The valve 1 has a housing 2 which has a reduced section 3on one end thereof and a counterbore section 4 in the other end.

A piston member 5 has a shoulder portion 6 proportioned for a slidingfit inside the housing 2. A shoulder 7 in the housing 2 serves as a stopto limit the upward movement of the piston 5. An opening 8 extendsaxially through the piston 5. A screen 9 may be installed in the opening8 to prevent broken glass from being drawn into the vacuum system. Thepiston 5 has a counterbored section 10 concentric with the opening 8 andadapted to receive a valve member 11. The valve member 11 has acylindrical portion 12 extending axially through opening 13 in valveseat member 14 and terminating in a flange portion 15. The cylindricalportion 12 is secured to the piston 5 by a pin 16 or in any otherconventional manner. Ports 17 and 18 are provided in the cylindricalportion 12.

The valve seat member 14 has a shoulder portion 19 adapted to fit into acounterbore section 20 of the housing 2 and is secured therein by a snapring 21. An 0 ring 22 is provided between the shoulder portion 19 andthe end of the counterbore section 20 to provide a seal therebetween. Acircumferential groove 23, adapted, to receive an O ring 24 in the valveseat member forms an Patented A r. 7,. 1959' 2 v upper valve seat tocoact with the piston member 5. An-. other circumferential groove 25,adapted to receive an O ring 26, forms a lower valve seat to coact withthe flange 15. A spring 27 biases-the piston 5 against the shoulder 6and thereby the flange 15 into engagement with the O ring 26. An end cap28 is screwthreaded in the housing 2 and has a threaded opening 29adapted for mounting on an exhaust manifold (not shown). A bushing 30 isprovided between the cap 28 and the housing 2. Threaded openings 31 maybe provided in the housing 2 for connections to a gas system (not shown)and leak detector (not shown).

Within the reduced section 3 of the housing 2 a compressionable washer32 of rubber or other suitable material is positioned between a washer33 and a flanged cylinder34. The cylinder 34 extends through an opening35 in a hand cap screw 36 which has a threaded portion 37 adapted toengage a threaded portion 38 on the section 3,. A thrust bearing 39 andwasher 40 are positioned between the flanged portion of the cylinder 34and the hand cap screw 36.

In the operation, the tubulation of a vacuum tube under exhaust isinserted into the compression washer 32. As the hand cap screw 36 istightened, the washer 32 is compressed to form a seal around thetubulation. As the cap screw 36 is tightened further, the bias of thespring 27 is overcome and the piston 5 compresses the O ring 24, therebysealing oif the port 17 from communication with the openings 31. At thesame time, the valve member 11 is moved axially thereby moving theflange 15 from contact with the 0 ring 26. This opens the port 18 intocommunication with the opening 29 thus connecting the tube to the vacuumsystem.

After the tube has been exhausted, the hand cap member is loosened andthe spring 27 biases the piston 5 which moves the flange 15 so that itcompresses the O ring 26 to seal olf the port 18. Also, the piston 5moves away from the 0 ring 24 thereby opening the port 17. Gas may thenbe supplied to the tube from the opening 31.

If a tube is to be a vacuum tube, the tubulation is tipped off beforeloosening of the hand cap member. If gas filled, the seal is made beforethe cap screw 5 has been loosened sufiiciently to release the tubulationbut has been loosened enough to close the port 18 and open the port 17.

While only one valve has been illustrated, it is understood that aplurality of valves may be used on the vacuum manifold. Thus a novelvalve is provided, whereby, the vacuum manifold is, at no time, openedto atmospheric contamination, permits individual processing of tubes,and provides means for selectively filling the tubes with various typesof gases without affecting the main vacuum system.

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, various changes in the form and relative arrangement of theparts may be made to suit requirements.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination valve and compression chuck for use in processingelectron tubes having an exhaust tubulation thereon, comprising ahousing having two inlet ports and an outlet port, a valve seat memberpositioned between said two inlet ports and having an opening thereinforming a communicating passageway between said two inlet ports, apiston member positioned between said inlet ports and said outlet portand having an opening therein forming a communicating passageway betweenone of said inlet ports and said outlet port, a valve stem member havingone end secured to said piston member and extending through the openingin said valve seat member and terminating in a valve head, spring meansbiasing said piston member in one direction to engage said valve headwith said valve seat member to cut ofi communication with the other ofsaid inlet ports, a compressible member positioned between said pistonmember and said outlet port and having an opening therein for receivingtin-exhaust itubulation, and means for progressively compressing saidcompressible member to form a seal with said tribulation then move saidpiston into engagement with-said valve seat member to close 'dfl? saidone of said inlet ports and to move said valve head from engagement withsaid valve seat member.

2, A combined valve and compression chuck for use in evacuating tubes,comprising a :housing having-two inlet :ports and an outlet port, avalve seat member positi'oned between said inlet ports and having apassageway extending axially therethrou'gh connecting said inlet ports,a piston member movable axially -in said housing and having-a passagewayextending axially there'through and connecting one of said inlet portswith said outlet port, a valve stem member having one end secured tosaid piston member and a valve head on the other end thereof, said valvestem extending through said passageway, spring means biasing said pistonmember in one direction to engage said valve head with said valve seatmember to cutofi communication with the other of said inlet ports, andmeans including a compressible member surrounding said outlet port forforming a seal around a tubulation of the tube being evacuated'and foractuating said piston member into engagement with said valve seat memberto cut of]? communication with said one of said inlet ports and to movesaid valve head from engagement with said valve seat member.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS645,696 Topp 5. Mar. 20, 1900 678,841 'MacLeam July 16, 1901 780,754Junggren Jan. 24, 1905 906,331 Struble Dec. 8, 1908 1,172,833 RickerFeb. 22, 1916 1,299,398 Kahr -a Apr. 1, 1919 1,532,434 Mueller Apr. 7,1925 1,579,073 Bullock Mar. 30, 1926 1,779,319 Jennings Oct. 21, 19301,834,033 Michelin Dec. 1, 1931 2,648,349 McGarry Aug. 11, 19532,708,588 Prah May 17, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,069 France Apr. 11, 1922

